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Rumours and Stuff

84 Baby

Referee
Messages
29,130
Big quality forwards still win games when it counts while ably supported by big strong wingers too.

Sure smaller packs with the six again rule can and do well, but in the most important games quality and fit big boys will almost always dominate the quality and fit smaller boys, just look at this years SOO series. No contest when it mattered.
I think you’re linking 2 disparate qualities though. Sure if the players have same fitness and skill then the bigger player has the advantage. But fitness and agility tend to oppose size. It’s a sliding scale but I believe in the current game, fitness and agility are more important than size.
For example Wiremu Greig & Junior Paulo are bigger than James Fisher Harris, Moses Leota, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Payne Haas, Joe Tapine and more. Who do you think are the better props right now?
That said I don’t think our bigger props were helped out by equally poor/worse fitness/agility out wider from likes of Lane, Matterson, and the backs.
 

Gazzamatta

Coach
Messages
15,450
Gee, Alexander is a flog of the biggest order. His opening remarks on SEN this morning was how poor Parra were in putting 60 points on the Tigpies. I watched most of the Riff game, and I’m more sure the Riff performed any better, but in true Brandy style that was not a point to be made on the game.
Then his headline seeking mate, Vossy, started his commentary on Gutho taking the dive in the game, given how many players do that why was it an issue, the Knights actually tackled a player in the line , 2 players wide of the try scorer and the idiot bunker disallowed the try, As it was Parra, make a comment as who cares about the Fins in Sydney. What was a good programme initially has become a bit of a sounding board to push headlines rather than the game. The club that apparently moves the dial is Parra and they can’t help themselves. Anyway it was at 6.10 am and when you have an inclination to listen to a sports network, you get agenda driven nonsense
I never listen now days. I don't mind Voss but I can't stand that smug Ventriloquist Dummy. I see his face or hear his voice I generally switch off. He and Hooper should go bonnet bashing together.
 
Messages
16,487
We are a very well run club. We make the right calls. We don't pay over and don't make mistakes. Its basically a 45yr plan.
When sheensy came back we went back to year zero of our plan.

Now we’re lumped with Benjis fairytale coaching movie.

If I knew what flight BA was on, I would have run across the tarmac trying to abort take off.

btw el catalans are looking pretty good next year.
 

JokerEel

Coach
Messages
12,763
Gee, Alexander is a flog of the biggest order. His opening remarks on SEN this morning was how poor Parra were in putting 60 points on the Tigpies. I watched most of the Riff game, and I’m more sure the Riff performed any better, but in true Brandy style that was not a point to be made on the game.
Then his headline seeking mate, Vossy, started his commentary on Gutho taking the dive in the game, given how many players do that why was it an issue, the Knights actually tackled a player in the line , 2 players wide of the try scorer and the idiot bunker disallowed the try, As it was Parra, make a comment as who cares about the Fins in Sydney. What was a good programme initially has become a bit of a sounding board to push headlines rather than the game. The club that apparently moves the dial is Parra and they can’t help themselves. Anyway it was at 6.10 am and when you have an inclination to listen to a sports network, you get agenda driven nonsense


They went on a rant when Kelma took that dive against the Roosters..

When any other club take a dive it's crickets..

Biggest wankers on radio
 

TheRam

Coach
Messages
13,711
I think you’re linking 2 disparate qualities though. Sure if the players have same fitness and skill then the bigger player has the advantage. But fitness and agility tend to oppose size. It’s a sliding scale but I believe in the current game, fitness and agility are more important than size.
For example Wiremu Greig & Junior Paulo are bigger than James Fisher Harris, Moses Leota, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Payne Haas, Joe Tapine and more. Who do you think are the better props right now?
That said I don’t think our bigger props were helped out by equally poor/worse fitness/agility out wider from likes of Lane, Matterson, and the backs.

My God. You have picked two barrel style props and compared them to mobile style props and in Emu's case a reserve grade level player compared to rep quality ones.

Those quality barrel style ball playing players like Junior though will always be valuable in the right mixed team as game breakers just like junior is in our team too. The problem with our team is we are now to heavy in the forwards with players that don't like tackling or aren't fit enough to make the necessary tackles in succession. We still don't know is it physical or mental or both with nearly all our players. Maybe the new coach will give us all a better clue.

Also in the panthers case their two front rowers have been benefiting from a great back three that has kept them relatively fresh during games and a great bench rotation too. Our two boppers have never had that luxury ever. This alone would make a massive difference to our game and would have addressed so many late game fadeouts. But what do I know? Pou reckons the coach his staff know everything and I or anyone else here including you mate know nothing that the coaching staff don't already know.

Pity our R&R team must have other ideas.

But back on responding to your post. Paulo is a unique front rower in the modern age. No other front rower is in his class as a barreling ball player and that's why all coaches and commentators love him when we are playing well. The problem though is he needs to be fit and he needs to be surrounded by quality workers just like Beetson did when he was playing too. Again depending on the quality Ryles can surround him in will depend on how he plays. If Ryles can't find quality line benders that can also make many tackles then I expect Juniors game to wain as all the pressure and focus will be put on him from the press and fans too.

Junior isn't our problem, he is a gun that can break a game open. He just needs the right support to pick up the slack that people think he is shirking. It's like saying Lockyer was a crap player because he needed Tony Carrol besides him to make his tackles. Good coaches know the limitations of all their players and adjust their game plan and team personnel to accommodate the great ones where they can. I believe we have a great ball playing prop that is unique in our game and we need to bring in players that can compliment him to do his thing. They don't need to be champions just hard working and mobile enough to bend the line. Paulo and our halves can do the rest.
 

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